Automatic tube bending machine



'ne.2z,194z. A,... PARKER mL, f 2,306,224

AUTOMATIC TUBE BENDING MACHINE Filed March 31, 1941 4 Shee'12s-Sheet l n 1: ik' @un w N N 2 Y; iisg gw NV EN:

Q5 w v i w @D w l bl* f MEX N E? f77- 7-09/1/6 Y6 Dec. 22, 1942.

A. L. PARKER ETAL AUTOMATIC TUBE BENDING MACHINE Filed March 3l, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Dec. z2, 1942.

A. L.. PARKER ET ALv 2,306,224

AUTOMATIC TUBE BENDING MACHINE A Filed March 3l, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3- DO d Si wsm` Q Dec. 22,1942. A PARKER ETAL 2,306,224

AUTOMATIC TUBE BENDING-MACHINE` I Filed March 31, 1941 y 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Dec. 22, 1942 AUTOMATIC TUBE BENDING MACHINE Arthur L. rParker and He Ohio; said Hull assignor nry E. Hull, Clevelandl to said Parker Applicatign March 31, 1941,seria1Nu.3ss,215 12 olannsf (ci. 15s- 40) Theinvention relates to new and useful improvements in an automatic tube bending machine of in a desired sequence.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tube bending machine of the above type` with automatic means for positioning the tube for a sequence relative to each other so as to avoid interference.

A further object of the invention is to provide Y an-automatic tube bending machine of the above with These and other objects'will be in part obvious and will be in part hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: which show .by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine showing more or lessV diagrammatically the position of the parts at the beginning of a tube bending operation.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation of the same. Y

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line A-A.

Figure 4 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 1 as viewed from the right hand end thereof.V

Figure 5 is a diagrammatical view showing the control circuits for causing the actuating parts to operate in a proper sequence relative to each other.

, The -tube bending machine includes a radius block I which is keyed to an operating shaft 2 so that it may bev readily removed and a radius block of a diierent size substituted therefor. I'he shaft 2 is driven by a motor 3. 'I'he motor which meshes with a driving gear 5. The shaft 2 carries a clutch 6 which is splined thereto and free to move endwiseon the shaft. The driving gear 5 is carried by a shaft section 1 on which is splined a. clutch 0 which may be brought into mesh with the clutch This 6 for rotating the shaft 2 and thus rotating the radius block for 'bending the pipe.

'I'he `clutch 8 is shifted by a lever 9` operated for closing the clutch by a' solenoid I0. A spring II separates the clutch parts when the solenoid is de-energized.

The tube to be drawings. 'I'he 'tube end is secured block` for the bending operation block I3. gagement with the tube by toggle levers I4. 'I'he toggle levers I4 are moved to the position shown in Figure 4 by a solenoid. I 5 and whenjthe solenoid is de-energized a spring I6 will move said toggle levers out of alinement and separate the clamp block from the tube.A`

Also associated with the radius block is a guide block I1 which is moved by toggle levers I8. The toggle levers are moved into the position shown bent is illustrated at I2 in the to the radius by a clamp when the solenoid is de-energized.

'Ihe mechanism thus described operates in the same manner as-similar'parts of the bending machine disclosed in the application referred to. After the tube has been placed in the forming block, the clamp block is bending operation. l

The tube to be bent is clamped at the outer endthereof to a carriage 2i mounted for movement on, a feed shaft 22. Said feed shaft is threaded and engages a threaded part 23 formed as a. part ofthe carriage. Mounted for rotation on this carriage isa sleeve 24. 'I'he tube is passed through this sleeve and is clamped to the sleeve by contracting Aclamping segments 25.

preventy the tube bending operation. mandrel as shown is attached to a member from collapsing during the This clamp block is vmoved into en` 2 asoman-i 29 and may be shifted therein in a lengthwise radius block around which the tube is bent must direction for positioning the end thereof adjacent be maintained tangent to the line of feed of the to the radius block. tube. As has been noted, the roller Il is mount- Mounted on this sleevel '24 is a sprocket wheel ed on the frame il and does not shift and there- Il over which a chain 3l runs. This chain en- 5 after this roller will maintain a fixed position gages a sprocket wheel 32 which is splinedto a relative to the line of feed. This will position shaft 33 and is free to move endwise on the shaft. the roller Il at the proper distance from the cen- When the shaft `33 is rotated `it will rotate .the j ter of rotation'of the shaft so that the speed of sleeve and thus turn the tube.' `The purpose of `the feed shaft operated by.y this roller Il during this rotation of the tube is to shift the angular 10 bending operations will be timed to accord with position of the tube for the bending operations .1 ther peripheral movement i the radius blOCkso that the bends formed` in the tube may he The carriagejl is mounted for sliding movepositioned at different predetermined angles. ment on the frame members l and 4l (see Fil. The shaft 33 at its inner end carries afbelt wheel f 3). As noted-this carriage is moved along these 34 and a beit 35 runs over this heli, wheel 34 and V1;, frame membersby the rotation lof the feed shaft a belt wheel 36 driven by va motor Vthrough v 22. After the completion of a bending operation suitable speed reduction gearing. of the tube, the clamp block is released and the The feed shaft 22 is rotated by a feedr motor lguide block removed from engagement with the 3., The belt $9 driven by the motor 3. runs tube and then the tube free t0 be mOi/8d endover a pulley l0 -on a counter-shaft 4l. This 20 wise to yposition the` same for another bending countershaft carries a pulley 42 over 'which a operation; lControl devices are providedv for inhelt 43 rdns LThis bell; 43 runs around yan idler suring thefrelease of -the `clampr block and the shown at a in Figure 1' and over fa driving i movement of the guide block away from the tube pulley 45 on the feed shafl-E The motor 3.3 may r lbefore the motor is started for shifting'the carbe run in either direction for rotating this feed 2g, riage andl the tube to set the tube for another shaft, depending upon the cire it lconnections vbending operation. There are also control debetween the current supply and themotor. Vices for insuring that the tube will be shifted Thetube to be beni, is' preferably attached to* andpositioned for another bending operationth'e 'carriage when the carriage' is ai; the right before the turning of the tube is initiated for the endof its path of travel as shown lnsFigure 1 3o positioning of the angle of the bends relative 4At this time, the clamp block and the guide block t0 each other.v There is also a control mechaare separated from thetube and the feedV shaft 22 *msm which automatically Closes the Clamp bll may be rotated for rapidly moving the carriage Y r.and moves lthe guide block up to the tube when t0 the Position Shown in full lilies'. in Figure 1.v thetube is properly'positioned'both endwisev and The said shaft is rotated by theimot'or it in the a5' singularly for a new `bending operation. There 'pppositehdirection for feeding' the fuheftoward are further control devices for initiating the op- Ythe radius vblocks between bending operations and I Y eration of the bending mechanism when the tube for `positioning thetube for another bending epis' properly Set and clamped for this purpose.

' eration." 1nasmuch as this carriage is clamped to f 'There l5' Sl'lQWi-l ln Fiure 5 diagrammatically the tube and ,is positively frneved by thegsaid 4o thecontrolmech nisxnl for the various power opshaft, a means is employed for furningiheehafl, erated mechanisms. These control mechanisms for feeding the tube durlngthe bendlngopera.- will; be Abriefly referred to in describing the op- 4 tien, This means includes ,a rouer 44 mounted. eration of the machine. Let us assume that the on the countershaft 4|. When the clutch radius block is set inits initial position by a reclosed for rotating the radius block for theb'endt A A P I'ih indicated at I1 in Figure 4 0f the ing operationrthe upper eieren member g'moves *drawings and the clutch is released and that the into contact with the roher 4- and turns the clamp, block, 1S moved away from the radius same thus turning the eounterehafewnioh ro 'block and also the' guide block for theinserting .fates the feedshaftfor feeding the tube in proper ofr the Atube to be bent. At this time, the said timing with the movementsof the radius block ho Carriage is adjacent the bending mechanism, during the bending operation, f The end of the tube is inserted in the sleeve of This feedingvof the tube is mined so as." to, in the carriage and clamped thereto. The tube is effect, force the tube longitudinally during this slipped 0Vr ,the mandrel during the DOSiiiQnin bending operation so that ,the tube is not 4suband the clampingof the tube. The supply lines iected to a drawing operation during-bending :is L|..L2 and L3 are connected to the bending mol As already noted,y the radius lilciclr'mayl be .y whichis operated by the 'clutch connecting readily removed and a diffrent size block dsed l said motor to the radius block. yWhen the guide for bending the "tube. When the radius block isbl'OGil iS 'inthe withdrawn or retracted position.

changed, the operating shaft;v and motor and theswitch l! is connected to the line 50. This other parts directlyl associated therewith' are mi-sublimes BGilcult When the'puh'button is shifted laterally on the frame but the roller 44 .closed fiom the lilleV Ll through the Switch Il is notV shifted. This shifting of the motor:v and v'andthe line 50 to the solenoid Il and through operating shaft and other parts directly assoswitch 5 3 t0 L3. This will close the switch l2 ciated therewith is accomplished in the following l which y is associated with the feed motor-1l and manner. f The shaftv 2 is mounted. in a collar e5 the motor willbe turned in the direction for ro- 81. This collar passes through a Vslot in the tating the shaft 22so as to move thecarrlage to frame Il andvis secured in a set position in the its outer position as shown in Figure 2. When slot by the nut ,I, By loosening thisnut the the carriage reaches ythis outer position, a switch shaft 2 may be shifted Vlongitudinally.ofgthfe slot 4 53 is contacted therewith which will shift the which is in the direction of a` line passing switch Iscp/asY to break the circuit leading tothe through 'the axis of the shaft Il, whichlline is solenoid 5I and this stops the operationvof the 4also at right angles tothe line.v of feed of the feed motor;v It also'establishesa circuit to the tube, as clearly shownin Fig. l. The extent to solenoid I5 which closes'the clamp land also the which the shaft is shifted depends upon the racircuit to the solenoid 'I0 4which moves the guide dius block selected as the curved surface of the hincl: up into contact with the tube.

vturning of the motor.

guide block is moved into proper position for bending, the switch 49 is shifted to the position shown in Figure which establishes the circuit through the solenoid coil l0 through switch 54 and this will close the clutch and bring about the rotation of the radius block for the bending operation. During this bending operation'the carriage is fed forward through the operation of the roller 44. During this bending operation, the carriage will move forward and be brought into contact with a switch 54. This switch will be shifted so as to break a circuit leading to the solenoid l0 and the clutch will open, stopping any further rotation of the radius block. Associated with this solenoid I0 is a switch 55 which maintains the circuit leading tothe solenoids controlling the clamp block and guide block. When the solenoid l0 is de-energized and the clutch is open, this switch is also open, breaking the circuit leading to the solenoids controlling the clamp block and the `guide block and they are retracted. At the same time the switch 54 was shifted to open the clutch and stop the bending operation, it also closed the circuit leading through the wire 56 to the solenoid 51 through switch 59 to LI. Energization of solenoid 51 closes switch 58 and thus establishes the current through the feed motor for rotating the same and turning the feed screw for the purpose of moving the tube to another bending position. When the carriage has moved so as to properly position the tube endwise for the next bending operation, the switch 59 is shifted so as to stop the rotation of the feed motor vand establish a circuit through the line 60 andy the 'solenoid 6I through switch 65 to L3 controlling the switch 62 for the turning motor. 'Ihe switch 62 closes when the solenoid 6| is energized and the turning motor Il will rotate the tube until it is properly positioned for a bending operation which will place the bends in the desired angular relation to each other.

Mounted on the sleeve 24 is an arm 63 and also an arm 64. One of these arms during the rotation vof the tube will contact with a switch 65 mounted on the bale 66. This bale may be shifted to different set positionsalong the frame on which the carriage moves. When the switch 65 is shifted it will break the circuit leading to the solenoid 6l and 62 will open, Astopping the It also establishes a circuit through the solenoids l5 and l9'for closing the clamping block and movinglv the guide block up to the tube. When the guide block moves up to the tube it will establish a circuit through the solenoid controlling the clutch for starting the bending operation. This completes the cycle of operations and initiates a new bending operation.

It is to be understood that there are any number of sets of switches arranged along the bed in path of travel of the carriage so that a plurality of bends may be -made at predetermined points and each bend would have a desired angular relation to the others. It is not thought necessary to described in detail these different settings of the switches as they are substantially the same in character and operate in the same way.

After the last bending operation, the circuits are so controlled that the carriage will be moved to its initial position adjacent to the radius block and the sleeve on the carriage will be returned to its normal or` initial position.

We claim:

1. A tube bending machine comprising a power operated bending device. a power operated feed carriage attached to the tube for moving the same endwise, a power operated turning means connected to the tube for turning the tube to a pre-determined angle and automatic control meansfor initiating the bending device, said bending device operating through said control means for initiating the operation of the feed carriage for positioning the tube lfor a second bending operation and said feed carriage operating through said control device for initiating the turning means for turning the tube to a predetermined angle, and said turning means operating to initiate the bending device and forming a second bend in said tube.

2. A tube bending machine comprising a power operated -bending device, a power actuated clamping block for securing the tube end to the 'bending device, a feed carriage attached to said tube,v and power operated mechanism for moving said carriage after a bending operation and the release of the clampingr block for positioning said tube for a second bending operation.

3. A tube bending machine comprising a power operated bendingY device, a power actuated clamping block for securing the tube end to the bending device,'a feed carriage attached to said tube, and power operatedmechanism for moving said carriage after a bending operation and the release of the clamping block for positioning said tube for a second bending operation, said power devices being electrically operated and automatic switches for controlling the timing of the actuations of the bending device the clamping block and the feeding mechanisms whereby said tube is automatically positioned for the second bending operation after the completion of the first bending operation and the release of the clamping block. V

4. A tube bending machine comprising a power` actuated radius block for bending a tube, a power actuated clamping block for securing the tube end to the radius block, a. power actuated guide block associated with the radius block, a carriage y clamped to the tube, a power actuated feed shaft for vmoving said carriage for feeding the tubeduring the bending operation and for positioning the tubeafter the release of the clamping block and the guide block for a` second bending operation. v v

5. A tube bending machine comprising a power vactuated radius block for bending a tube, a power actuated clamping block for securing thetube end to the radius block, a power actuated guide block associated with the radius block, a carriage clamped to the tube, a power actuated feed shaft for moving said carriage for feeding the tube during the bending operation and for positioning the tube after the release of the clamping blockl and the guide block for a second bending operation, and a control mechanism including electric switches for timing the operation of said power actuated devices.V

6. A tube bending machine including a power operated radius block for bending the tube, a power actuated clamping block for clamping the tube end to the radius block, a power actuated guide block for the tube, a feed carriage attached to the tube, a power actuated feed screw for moving the carriage for feeding the tube during the bending operation and for positioning said tube after the release of the clamping block and the guide block for a second bending operation, an adjustable device for stopping the feed screw when the tube is positioned for a second bending operation and means controlled by the stopping v after the release of f operation, means for rotating of the feed for closing the clamp, positioning the guide block and for bending mechanism. n

7. A tube bending machine including a power operated radius block for bending the tube, a power actuated clamping block for clamping the tube end to the radius block. a power actuated guide block for the tube, a. feed carriage attached to the tube, a power actuated feed screw for moving the carriage for feeding the tube during the bending operation and for positioning said tube the clamping block and the guide block for a second bending operation, an adjustable; devicev for stopping the feed screw when the tube is positioned forv a second bending said carriage having apower actuated the tube after it is positioned foraysecond bending cperationiand means associated therewith for .stopping ,the turning movement when said tube has been4 turned through a pre-determined angie.

8. A tube bending machine including a power operated radiusv block for bending the tube, a power actuated clamping block for' clamping the tube end to the radius block, a power actuated guide block for the tube, a feed carriage attached to the tube, a poweractuated feed screw for moving the carriage for feeding they tube during the bending operation and for positioning said tube after the release of the clamping block and the guide block for a second bending operation, an

initiating` operation of the itiating the operation of the radius block, said devices for stopping the feed and said devices for stopping the turning movement of the tube being shiftable for varying. the distance between the bends and the angular relation of the bends to each other. n

10. A tube bending machine comprising a,pow er actuated bending mechanism, a carriage connectedto the tube to be bent, power means for adjustable'deviceL for stopping the feed screw when the tube is positioned for a second bending operation, means for rotating the tube after it is positioned for a-second bendingv operation and means associated therewith for stopping the turning movement when said tube has been turned through a pre-determined angle, for closing the clamping block,vpo sitioning the guideblock and for initiating the operation of the radius block.

9. A tube bending machine including a power operated radius blockV for bending the tube, a

power actuated clamping blockfor clamping the Vtube end to theradius block, a power actuated guide block for the tube, a feed carriage attached said carriage having a power actuated tovthetube, a power actuated feed screw for s moving the carriage for feeding the tube during the bending operation and for positioning said tube after the release of the clamping block and the guide block for a second bending operation, an adjustable device for stopping the feed screw when the tube is positioned for a second bending operation, said carriage having a power actuated means for rotating the tube after it is positioned for a second bending operation and means associated therewith for stopping the turning movement when said tube has been turned through a pre-determined angle, for closing the clamping block, positioning the guide block and for infeeding the carriage for positioning the tube for a second bending operation, power means for turning the tube in the carriage for determining the angular position ofthe bends relative-to each other and automatic means for controlling the timing of the operation of thebending mechanism, the feeding of the tube and the turning of the tube whereby said tube is bent and then automatically positioned for a second bending operation and said second bending operation initiated.v f

11. A tube bending machine comprising a power actuated bending device, a power actuated clamping block associated therewith, va power actuated guide block, acarriage attached to the tube to be bent, a.y power actuated feed shaft forfeeding the carriage in timing with the movements of thebending device and for feeding the carriage for positioning the tube for a second bending operation and power actuated turning device for turning the tube for determining the angular relation of the bends and a control mechanismA forinitiating the operation of the bending device, stopping the same upon the completion of the bend, releasing the clamp block and the guide block, initiating the feeding mechanism forv positioning the tube for a second bending operation for turning the tube for angularly positioning the bends in the tube for closing the clamp blockwhen the tube is positioned, moving the guide block into engagement with vthe tube and for initiating the second bending operation.

12. A tube bending machine comprising a power-operated bending mechanism including an operating shaft on which radius blocks of differ- I ent sizes may be mounted, power-operated feeding means for feeding the tube during the bending operation, means for supporting said shaft whereby it may be shifted toward and from the vline of feed of the tube, said tube feeding means including an ,operating disk carried byv said shaft. a roller contacting with said disk and connected to said 4feeding mechanism for operating l,the same, said roller being mounted in a fixed position for operation and so disposed-,relative to saidy operating shaft that the shifting of the shaft when the radius blocks are changed will vary thetiming of the feeding mechanism to correspond to the size of the radius block.

` ARTHUR L. PARKER.

HENRY E. HULL. 

